DEVELOPMENT OF A MEASURE PROFILING PROBLEMS AND NEEDS OF PSYCHIATRIC-PATIENTS IN THE COMMUNITY

We argue the advantages of a measure profiling common problems faced b y psychiatric patients in the community and indicating a likely need f or service recognition, review and possible assistance. We describe th e development of such a measure, the 35-item Profile of Community Psyc hiatry Clients (PCPC), and the identification of four relevant domains . Component scales assess coping limitations, behavioural problems, le vels of social support and organic problems. High test-retest reliabil ity was established, and a number of tests of the measure's validity w ere undertaken. Discriminant validity was established by demonstrating that those case managed by a community mental health service returned significantly higher scale scores than a comparison group who, while having a similar diagnostic profile. were not case managed. Additional ly, scale scores were associated with a number of categorical and dime nsional validators reflecting aspects of service need, and distinctly with service costs. We demonstrate that PCPC scores correspond with sc ores generated by the Life Skills Profile (LSP), a measure of disabili ty, and examine the extent to which PCPC scales correspond to those co ntained in the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS). We argue f or the scale's capacity to provide both a profile of central problems faced by patients and their likely need for community-based service as sistance.